Infants who are not fed at the breast must rely on infant formula as their source of nutrients and to help ensure normal growth and developments.
Infant formula is commonly based on the milk of cows. However about 2 to 3% of infants have an allergy to the protein in cow's milk. While there are a number of factors that regulate immune responses to allergens, the Th1/Th2 balance in infants is important in immune development, and formula is deficient in cytokines which promote immune regulatory mechanisms and drive Th1 and Th2 differentiation. As such, there is a need for a dietary supplement, foodstuff or infant formula that promotes appropriate immune responses and development.